his bosom with all the warmth of a forgiving and affectionate soul, he lacks much of kindly and honourable feeling, and deserves not to know the value, the comforts, of friendship. It is only what is due from one man to another; it is nothing more than our common nature-our mutual relationship demands.

"There be, perhaps, who barren hearts avow,
Cold as the rocks on Torneo's hoary brow;
There be, whose loveless wisdom never fail'd,
In self-adoring pride securely mail'd;
But, triumph not, ye peace-enamour'd few;
Fire, nature, genius, never dwelt in you!
For you no fancy consecrates the scene
Where rapture utter'd vows, and wept between;
'Tis yours, unmov'd, to sever and to meet;
No pledge is sacred, and no home is sweet!"

And here again we have an illustration of that feeling alluded to in the preceding chapter, which teaches us that affection may exist when we deem it does not; that it may be just when we are resigning an object we find out what it is. And here again we are taught to prize what we possess; to seek out the affection, and draw the

comfort from it which it can give, ere the time it is to disappear-to value the friend while yet we have him.

On the 6th of August, we again put to sea; and on Friday, the 17th, we reached Calcutta, and finished the voyage.

He that visits the Indian shore, cannot fail to be struck almost as much with the situation the English hold there, as with the natives themselves. It is, indeed, astonishing, to see with what fear and respect they are there looked up to; how far they seem to stand above, and how much authority they exercise over, the numerous natives around them. In the bosom of the Britainer it calls up no inconsiderable degree of wonder, as well as gratification, when he sees such a vast and immensely peopled territory, such a fertile extent of country, completely under the dominion of his countrymen, and giving up to them almost the whole of its great produce. It gives him an exalted opinion, indeed, of what Britain can achieve; of how much courage she can muster up, and what strength she can put

forth, when he contemplates her, insignificant as she appears, holding so completely in her grasp, such a powerful and far-distant country. And higher must his opinion rise, when he remembers, that ere she could win it to herself, she had not only to contend with and vanquish the possessors of the country themselves, but also with others, seemingly alone more powerful than she, who were also contending for the prize. When we see the flag of England streaming almost exclusively in the port, and the wealth of the interior almost exclusively carried away to the English shore, and the mightiest chief of the land bowing to the command of an English governor, it tells us, most convincingly, that there is vigour in the British arm, and valour in the British heart. It tells us, that whatever the giddy few may cry out-that whatever discontent and clamour England may have heard, and however insignificant she may seem, there is a mighty spirit in her bosom, and wisdom with it; that in the day of need, every division can cease, and there can be a general unity and a general rallying of

her sons; that when her glory is to be maintained or added to, her spirit is ready to burst forth-her wisdom is ready to be shewn.

And much is our gratification heightened when we see the power she possesses exercised with clemency; the laws she has enacted wise, and exercised with justice. The limits of right and wrong she has made known to the native as well as to the European, and both stand equally amenable to the law for any act of transgression, and equally under its protection, so long as they obey its dictates. The chain of slavery does not exist, and the arm of tyranny has no power. The poorest man is free; and while he becomes liable himself to punishment, if he is guilty of any fault in what he binds himself to perform, he has a power to apply to, and a power that will hearken and give justice in his cause, if he finds himself aggrieved. It is to be hoped that few, even were there no such strict restraint, would tyrannize over the poor Indian in his grasp: but it is good such a restraint does exist, for it ensures the conduct which duty dictates, and it shews that in

the ruling power there is justice and humanity. When all see with what strictness the laws are executed, they are necessitated, whatever may be their inclinations, to fear and pay respect to them. When the native sees punishment follow, with due force, upon the white man as well as upon him, it gives him an exalted opinion of the arm that is over him, and attaches him to it; when he finds us shewing him kindness so long as he acts as he ought, he is naturally stimulated to conduct himself with propriety; when he sees us doing much both for himself and his countrywhen he feels his situation not made worse, but better, under the hands of his vanquishers-he begins to find out the wisdom and the virtues of our customs, and he hesitates not to lend his ear to our instructions, and imbibe our better notions; and he comes to count the day indeed a happy one, when a more civilized, though strange and intruding, people, first visited him.

There are however a few that would look upon the native as a different kind of being altogether from themselves, and as neither deserving of the